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With a commission, you are required to serve a minimum of eight years regardless. For most services, promotion bottle necks after 0-3 (Captain in the Army, Air Force and Marines; Lieutenant Senior Grade in the Navy). Most have decided at 7 years if they are going to pursue 0-4 or get out.

2 C 5:6-8 Jakob Murphy aka themaninblack

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With a commission, you are required to serve a minimum of eight years regardless. For most services, promotion bottle necks after 0-3 (Captain in the Army, Air Force and Marines; Lieutenant Senior Grade in the Navy). Most have decided at 7 years if they are going to pursue 0-4 or get out.

Not trying to sound like a prick but it's just called Lieutenant.
0-2 though, is the one that's referred to as Lieutenant Junior Grade.

As far as military families. I've been in eight and been married three.
My wife met me right after my last deployment so she's never experienced a deployment
but she's dealt with the moving and the ****** hours so far and our marriage is still strong.

As far as divorces, I can't speak for the entire military but where I worked- I think the divorce rate was 75% it seemed like.
When you're at work 36 out of ever 48 hrs, some relationships just crumble.
I googled the military divorce rate of 2010 and it was just slightly higher than the civilian rate (3.6 > 3.4) with it platueing after a steady increase the last couple of years due to Operation Iraqi/Enduring Freedom.
So the marriage rate is even with the civilians just about.
A strong relationship is needed to make it through but honestly, who would have gotten married if they didn't think they were in a strong enough relationship in the first place?

I think I'm lucky due to the fact that my wife served in the Air Force and was an army brat growing up so all the moving and hours and (name it), she's accostumed to it all already. I feel like I'm cheating picking a wife already trained up on military life lol

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In special operations most officers are a bunch of do-nothing asshats that are more interested in getting ribbons and badges on their class-a's than doing actual work. There was a SF captain that we went out with in Sadr City that basically just wanted us to drive around on our first mission outside the wire until we got shot at so he could put in for his CAB.

sig by BoneKrusher

PACKERS BADGERS BREWERS BUCKS

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A friend of mine was a firefighter in the AF (i believe) and said it was one of the most jackoff jobs in the military. Once he came out he got a 50k job as a firefighter in a city close by since he already had all the certifications needed.

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In special operations most officers are a bunch of do-nothing asshats that are more interested in getting ribbons and badges on their class-a's than doing actual work. There was a SF captain that we went out with in Sadr City that basically just wanted us to drive around on our first mission outside the wire until we got shot at so he could put in for his CAB.

That's just ******. I know this isn't the same thing at all but I have read several military leadership books, most notably Fick's One Bullet Away and Winter's Beyond Band of Brothers, that explains exactly what's needed in a successful officer in the military. Rely heavily on the NCO's, listen to your sergeants, and don't do anything stupid (easier said than done, I guess).

I feel that that by going in being older (28) and going officer will give me a certain maturity over younger officer that are yearning for promotions. An officer is someone that should strive to be someone that will simply do what it takes to accomplish the mission and bring his platoon, company, what-have-you home safely with as few casualties as possible .

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Super Bowl XLIV Champions
WHO DAT!

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That's just ******. I know this isn't the same thing at all but I have read several military leadership books, most notably Fick's One Bullet Away and Winter's Beyond Band of Brothers, that explains exactly what's needed in a successful officer in the military. Rely heavily on the NCO's, listen to your sergeants, and don't do anything stupid (easier said than done, I guess).

I feel that that by going in being older (28) and going officer will give me a certain maturity over younger officer that are yearning for promotions. An officer is someone that should strive to be someone that will simply do what it takes to accomplish the mission and bring his platoon, company, what-have-you home safely with as few casualties as possible .

Personally, I think former NCOs make the best officers. The guys that have been there and done that just get it whereas the ROTC scumbags and direct commissions tend to rely on tradoc and OBLC stuff. It sounds like you've got the right attitude. The NCO corps is the backbone of the Army. A good officer tells his NCOs what needs to be done, supports them however he can, and most importantly gets the hell out of the way and let's them complete their task in the best way that they know how. The other advice that I will give you is be man enough to take an ass-chewing. Don't throw anybody under the bus to save your own skin and stick your neck out for good soldiers. When I say support your NCO's however you can, that might mean going infront of a field grade officer and telling him he's ****** up.

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PACKERS BADGERS BREWERS BUCKS

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Pretty much, I was a NCO for 8 years and I agree with everything you said.
I decided to go commissioned bc I saw how life was night and day under the
leadership of a good officer and and a terrible one.

I'm navy so I have no field experience. I worked as a nuke mechanic in the
reactor powered propulsion plants down at the bottom of the air craft carriers.
130 degree, steam filled air for 12 hours a day of rotating shift work (pretty much)
I've seen many people get discharged medically due to psychological problems bc they couldn't handle the grind.
The job is brutal enough, but when the officer you work for is worthless, it can be damn near unbearable.

I'm taking the lessons I've learned as a NCO with me.
Best lesson I've learned is... as an officer, you're either an umbrella or a magnifying glass.
There will always be **** and that **** will always roll downhill onto you (the officer).
You can either protect your division or you can let the **** continue rolling down hill.
All the good ones are umbrellas.
(Of course, this is if you division is doing what it's suppose to be doing and you know the **** is unwarranted)

-Boston Red Sox-New England Patriots-Boston Celtics-

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I've got some buddies here at Michigan's MBA program (one of the top in the country) that came from the military. It's a great "non-traditional" background for MBA programs but it's definitely not an automatic in like one poster mentioned about Harvard. You still need the high GMAT score and a story about how your previous service could help you transition, as well as a strong academic pedigree from a reputable undergrad. However, I agree that it is terrific experience and provides terrific opportunities as well as a noble contribution to society that you don't get bagging groceries at Whole Foods.

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I never suggest anyone join the military.
You have no voice, you become another soldier.
No soldier has any clue what he's fighting for.
You fight some fat rich man's battles, so they get richer.
Military will end the world

GO RAVENS

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I never suggest anyone join the military.
You have no voice, you become another soldier.
No soldier has any clue what he's fighting for.
You fight some fat rich man's battles, so they get richer.
Military will end the world

woooooooooooow..

Sig by BK

“They have one guy, he’s pretty short. But he can go out and play. He can be a little aggravating too.’’ -- Joe Flacco talking about Brent Grimes.

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I never suggest anyone join the military.
You have no voice, you become another soldier.
No soldier has any clue what he's fighting for.
You fight some fat rich man's battles, so they get richer.
Military will end the world

You can thank me for defending your 1st ammendment right to say that via your payment to my PayPal account.